Tuesday, December 4, 2012

New Car: 2014 Audi RS6 Avant

Here’s yet another set of wheels Americans can’t have – the 2014 Audi RS6 Avant. The automaker has just released details and photos of its hot new wagon, which will produce 552 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8.

The new eight-cylinder has already made its way into a number of S models, including the S6, S7, and S8. Like the S8, the RS6 Avant is fitted with an eight-speed auto, and that drivetrain combination is estimated by Audi to propel the wagon from 0-62 mph. If that number is accurate (or underrated, as is often the case) the new V-8-powered RS6 should be faster than the previous model fitted with the bigger twin-turbo V-10, which needed over four seconds to go from 0-62 mph. Standard features include an adaptive air suspension and items like the carbon ceramic brakes, dynamic steering, Dynamic Ride Control, and sport differential for the rear axle are available as options.

Visual cues are exactly what we would expect to see on any RS model. The fender arches are flared to accommodate the wider tires and the front clip features larger air dams with brushed metallic accents on the lower lip and grille (check out the oversized “quattro” logo affixed at the bottom). Out back, a rear diffuser is flanked by large oval exhaust pipes, a signature RS touch used on other models like the V-10-powered R8 GT. Inside, the seats feature contrast stitching that mimics the honeycomb pattern used on the grille, while carbon fiber accents, bolstered seats, and a flat-bottom steering wheel hint at the wagon’s sporting nature.

As we’ve lamented many times before, it’s unlikely that the RS6 will ever return to the U.S. in wagon form. However, RS fans can take solace in the other models that have made it to our shores (TT-RS, RS5) and the ones on the way (RS5 Cabrio and RS7).